Sleepwalking
by Breathe Artistic
Summary: After an explosion she thought claimed her life, and the life of her partner, Drusilla Barnett wakes up to find that she'd been in a coma for five years. After weeks in an infirmary relearning how to walk; Drusilla makes it her mission to find out what happened to her and her partner, and why everyone insists she's awoken to a world she won't recognize.
1. Prologue

Hello everyone! I know, it's been quite a while but I'm back with a new fic for you! This is an NXT-central AU kinda world, and I really hope you enjoy it! For clarification, one of the main characters of this story is Sami Zayn, and his real name is Rami. At the beginning of this fic (specifically the prologue but it'll get mentioned sporadically throughout) the OC refers to him solely by that name. However, further into the fic, he'll be referred to solely as Sami. So I hope that's not super confusing, I promise it won't be a big distraction as the switch won't happen very often!

Anyhow, enjoy!

* * *

Helmsley Corp. was the most dangerous entity in the world. They thrived on fear of the masses, forced obedience, and the wealth to cover up the bloody dealings that were commonplace among the company. For months there'd been a small group working tirelessly to attempt to dismantle them. Their numbers had thinned dramatically, some having been captured by the goons from Helmsley Corp. and others having fallen to their forces. Rami and Drusilla were two of the most highly trained assassins working under a powerful vigilante whom they only knew as Sting. Three of their fellow operatives were being held prisoner inside the bowels of the Helmsley Corp. building, and it was Rami and Drusilla's job to get them out. The two were the most in-sync with each other; they could formulate a plan with hardly any words passed between them and carry it out with the utmost care. Sting had entrusted the future he was trying to build out of the shadows of Helmsley Corp. to them; if they failed, there would be nothing to come back to.

That night their communication was flawless. Rami gestured with his right hand; two quick flicks of his index and middle fingers and Drusilla responded with the barest nod of her head, creeping on the balls of her feet. Holding the hose to the flamethrower tight to her, Drusilla spun around the corner, dropping to a crouch, she flicked on the flamethrower and positioned pointed the nozzle down the mouth of the alley, letting it engulf everything. Screams and the smell of burnt hair and flesh filled the air and Drusilla nudged her mask back into place with her shoulder, sufficient enough to block out the stink. A hand on her shoulder alerted her of Rami's presence. She turned off the power to the weapon and shoved it aside. With a gentle hand under her elbow, Rami helped her to her feet and they headed away from the burning alley. Their target was a scant quarter of a mile away but Drusilla insisted on taking out as many obstacles in their path as possible. Rami wouldn't argue; Drusilla was wonderfully stubborn, but all in the name of caution.

Rami gripped Drusilla's upper arm, pulling her to a stop. She glanced up to catch his eye and followed his gaze to the end of the road. There were three heavily armed guards standing at the mouth of the final alley they planned to use to infiltrate the compound. Drusilla gave a slight nod and adjusted her mask, breaking off down the open alley that she hadn't burned. Rami turned left, heading up the adjacent alley. He lifted himself onto a fire escape and scaled it to the roof of the building. He spotted Drusilla across the road, taking a leap to land on the roof of the building beside it. Rami followed her lead, landing with a soft grunt as he unholstered the rifle from his back. He caught sight of Drusilla again; she was crouched atop the building above the guards. He hadn't even seen her second jump, but Drusilla was efficient and had absolutely no fear.

Rami saw her lift her arm, her hand up with three fingers raised: their countdown signal. Rami flattened himself out on his belly near the edge of the roof and squinted through the sight on his rifle. Drusilla dropped a finger in three-second increments as she crouched into position and raised her gun. Simultaneously, Rami and Drusilla fired at the guards on the outsides. The center guard yelled, panicking as blood and brain matter splattered his face. Before he could blink again, or manage to call for help, Drusilla put a bullet in his skull. Rami glanced over to her, and she signaled for them to descend and move on. Drusilla clambered down the fire escape and met Rami in the road between the buildings. Stowing his rifle, Rami followed Drusilla to the opening of the alley, skirting around the dead guards. Drusilla squeezed the handle of her gun a little tighter in her gloved hand, side-by-side with Rami as they walked down the alley and cautiously approached the unguarded rear of the auxiliary building. There was a grate leading into the ducts for the building, and Rami made quick work of removing it and sliding into the air duct.

Drusilla followed, slipping the flashlight out of the side of her boot and clicked it on, shining the light down the duct as she and Rami crept forward. Below, they heard the voices of more guards making orders and the uncomfortable groaning of what were likely their prisoners. The continuance of the vigilante's mission depended entirely on Rami and Drusilla's success. As long as they could free the hostages, they could continue to move; but if they failed, it would mean the end of the uprising and the world would be under the thumb of Helmsley Corp. until someone had the courage to challenge them. Inching to a stop, Drusilla grabbed Rami's ankle, squeezing tight once to get his attention.

"Do you smell that?" Drusilla murmured, her voice, however soft, echoing off of the ducts.

She heard Rami take a deep breath, "Fuck. Fuck that's not good. Fall back!"

Drusilla scrambled backward on her knees, moving as fast as the cramped space would allow. Ahead of them, an object clunked into the duct space, the metal-on-metal thud loud in the small area. Hissing followed the sound, and Rami started moving with an increased urgency.

"Go! Silla, go, go!" he yelled.

"I'm trying!"

Drusilla stuck the end of her flashlight into one of the pockets on the front of her vest, using her hands to push herself backward a little faster. Smoke was filling the duct, seeping through the fibers of her mask, burning her eyes behind her glasses. Rami coughed violently in front of her, his movements slowing as he gasped for a clean breath. The smoke drifted to her, catching in her throat, tasting thick and acrid. The was only a few feet behind them, she'd be able to reach out with her feet and touch the ground within moments, but when she kicked backward to make sure of their position, her foot slammed into a solid wall of metal. The vibration shimmered up her leg, making her teeth clench. Drusilla turned as far as she could, seeing no light from the outside behind them. A sheet of solid metal sealed their escape route.

"Silla, what's going on," Rami coughed, his voice ragged. "Let's get outta here."

"We can't! They walled us in," Drusilla croaked. "We're stuck, Rami."

"No fucking way," Rami yelled. "Kick it out!"

"Rami I can't! It's pure sheet metal," Drusilla said, coughing as the smoke crept down her throat. "I've tried! We've gotta go forward and try and get inside."

"We can't go forward," Rami said. "Whatever that bomb is leaking, it'll choke us before we get close."

"Fuck!"

Another metal-on-metal thud made Drusilla jump, her head banging the top of the duct. Under the clang, she heard Rami cursing; saw him shifting to lift himself as much as possible.

"Drusilla get under me. Now!"

"What? Why?"

"Don't ask fucking questions just do it!" Rami yelled.

Drusilla flattened herself onto her stomach, crawling on her forearms to fit in the small space Rami had made beneath him. His weight settled on top of her as he wrapped his arms around her, covering her with his body. She heard a spitting sound like fireworks erupting and dread curled in the pit of her stomach. Rami rested his chin on the top of her head, his breathing rapid, afraid.

"That thing is gonna blow, Silla," Rami murmured to her. "I'm gonna try and cover you as much as I can but it might not be enough."

"Rami, no…"

"Yes! Don't argue," Rami growled. "Just… Silla, I love you. I'm here with you to the end."

Sparks spilled down the duct in front of their eyes, erratic spurts at first, but they were quickly followed by blistering flames as the bomb detonated and filled the duct. Rami squeezed his arms tight around Drusilla, hunching over her as he tried to protect her. Heat and fire filled the duct, wrapping around the two of them, singeing every inch of pair it touched. Drusilla heard screaming, whether it was hers or his she didn't know, but inside her mind, all she heard was…

_I love you, Rami. Goodbye._


	2. Chapter 1

_I love you, Rami. Goodbye._

_I love you, Rami. Goodbye._

_I love you, Rami. Goodbye._

The words echoed endlessly through Drusilla's mind. Over and over, all she heard was the words she could speak; all she felt was the fire that consumed both of them in that tiny air duct. The cycle spun over and over, throwing through the turmoil of losing her life and Rami's. Trying to accomplish the vigilante's mission had cost both their lives. Helmsley Corp. had known they were there and cut them off when they were the most vulnerable. They'd died trying to stop them from taking over absolutely everything. The sole consolation for Drusilla was that she died alongside the person she loved the most. His was the last face she'd seen; his smile before they left, reassuring her that they'd be just fine, his bright red hair as it disappeared under his skullcap. His voice was the last she heard, telling her he loved her as he used his body to protect her from the flames. Trapped in the purgatory of her own final thoughts, all she could remember was how much she loved him.

* * *

He watched her closely, examining her continued sleep. It'd been five years to the day that Drusilla Barnett fell into a coma. The doctors were shocked that she held on for so long, but despite her unconscious state, her vitals were always strong. She'd have a hard time learning the basics of walking again, after being sedentary for such a long stretch of time, but one doctor was confident that she'd make it through. Something about Drusilla was stronger than most; she'd come down the pipeline as a warrior, transitioned into this new world without ever leaving her old one. So many things had changed in the long five years she'd been asleep, and they'd have much work to do assimilating her into the new world when, or if, she ever woke up.

"Would you quit playing Frankenstein with that girl and pull the plug already? She's a potato, she's not getting up."

Doctor Baron Corbin turned in his chair, frowning at the blonde behind him. Tyler Breeze was as skeptical as he was narcissistic, standing behind him in his outrageously bright pink and green customized lab coat, tapping away at his phone. Baron rolled his eyes and shifted is chair closer to Drusilla's bed. Her vitals were still as clear and strong as they were several days after they brought her in. It was infuriating to him that she wouldn't wake up. Perhaps she was simply trapped inside her own mind, or perhaps her mind was too far-gone. Her body was healthy but her mind could have been broken beyond repair. Baron didn't quite know, but he was determined to see it through.

"Don't you have somewhere else to be, Breeze?" Baron said without looking up from his chart.

"Regal sent me down here to see if you were still obsessing over the dead girl…"

"She's not dead," Baron said calmly, spinning his chair to face Tyler. "She's going to wake up, I know she will."

"You've said the same thing for the last five years," Tyler said flippantly, rolling his eyes. "She's toast, Corbin. Pull the plug."

"What about that guy we found her with? If he could come…"

"You know that won't work," Tyler interrupted, holding up a hand. "That uggo doesn't remember a damn thing about her, and it has to stay that way."

"Everyone thinks they're going to avoid seeing each other when she wakes up," Baron said testily. "It's not going to work that way. I'm sorry if you've forgotten but this is a free world. Once she's adapted and on her feet, it's going to be impossible to keep them separate."

"Okay, but one, she's not going to wake up, and two, even if she does, her brain is probably soup. Do you really think she'll remember him?" Tyler asked.

Baron grunted, folding his arms over his broad chest. "Shove it, Breeze. She'll wake up. I know she will. If he did, she will."

"_Sure_. Whatever you say Dr. Frankenstein." Tyler said, as he flounced from the room.

Baron sighed, turning back to Drusilla's bedside. She _had_ to wake up. He'd spent the last five years tracking her bodily activity and convincing his superiors that it would just be a matter of time. Now time was running thin and if this miracle wasn't going to happen, he'd be the laughingstock of the team. Pushing up from his chair, Baron crossed the room to the small break area where he, Breeze, and their technician Colin kept drinks and snacks within easy reach for busy days. He took a bottle of water from the small refrigerator and twisted off the cap, taking a long drink. He tried to beat down the discouragement that swelled up inside. His career was hinging on Drusilla waking up, and if she didn't… well he wasn't prepared to think of what would happen if she didn't.

Back in the infirmary, the monitors that tracked Drusilla's brain activity started beeping for the first time. Excitement shot through Baron as he jerked his head up to the other room. The beeping of the monitors increased in speed as Baron made his way over to Drusilla again. He could see her eyes shifting back and forth behind her lids as she started to struggle to breathe on her own around the tube in her throat. Elated, Baron scrambled to put on a pair of gloves to remove the tube before it choked her. Drusilla gasped as the tube was removed and her eyes shot open. She tried to sit up but her body was too weak to support itself. She coughed, tasting acrid smoke in the back of her throat.

"Easy! Easy, sweetheart, calm down!" Baron said.

"W-who…" Drusilla croaked, coughing hard again.

"Take it easy, Drusilla," Baron said, putting his hands on her shoulders. "You've been out for a _long_ time."

"Who the hell are you?" Drusilla groaned.

"My name is Baron Corbin, I'm a doctor."

"Where am I?"

"You're in a compound we call NXT. People used to call this place Florida… but it's really not the same anymore," Baron said.

"Where's Rami?" Drusilla asked, gingerly lifting her arm to rub her throat.

"I don't know who you mean." Baron said.

Drusilla coughed again, grimacing as she tried to sit up, her arms shaking under her weight. "What's going on?"

"You've been in a coma, Drusilla," Baron said gently as he helped her into a sitting position. "It's been five years."

"Five years? How?" Drusilla asked.

"Your bodily vitals have been stable the whole time," Baron said as he moved to fill a cup with water for her. "But your brain activity was always very low. I thought that might have been a sign that you'd wake at some point."

Drusilla slowly sipped the water Baron gave her, eyeing him suspiciously. "So you kept me alive for five years? For what?"

"I'm assuming you'd be angry if I said for science," Baron said, glancing away from her.

"You're fucking right!" Drusilla snapped. "Why didn't you just let me die? I have no place here."

"Of course you do! Drusilla you're a warrior. There's a reason you stayed alive so long and I'm positive that you have a place in this world," Baron said. "It's just going to take some adjusting. It's a very different place than it was five years ago."

"Is Helmsley Corp. still running the world?" Drusilla asked.

Baron raised an eyebrow at her. "I don't know what Helmsley Corp. is."

Drusilla blinked. "How do you not know what Helmsley Corp. is? They practically took over the world."

"I think you're a little confused," Baron said. "You've been asleep for a very long time, Drusilla."

"You think I'm crazy," Drusilla said. "Don't you?"

"I think you've had a lot of time in your own thoughts," Baron said diplomatically. "It's going to take some time to adjust."

Drusilla shook her head. "I'm not crazy."

"I never said that you were," Baron said. "Would you like to try and get up?"

"Well since I've apparently been lying down for five years, I'd say yeah, I'd like to get up." Drusilla said.

Baron chuckled. "I do have to warn you, getting your legs back is going to be a bit of a challenge."

"Nothing is more of a challenge than wrapping my mind around the fact that I haven't felt my ass in five years." Drusilla grumped.

Baron laughed as he pulled back the covers from over Drusilla's body. "Before you jump right up, I want you to try wiggle your toes and bend your knees. You've gotta wake up those muscles and tendons and get the blood flowing again."

Drusilla grunted, her brain sending the signal to her toes to wake up and move but her limbs were delayed in obeying the command. She frowned, willing her legs to move but they felt leaden and dead. "What the hell."

"It's been five years, Drusilla," Baron said, moving to the end of her bed. "May I touch you?"

"I can't tell you when the last time I heard that was," Drusilla muttered, then to Baron she said: "Yeah, go ahead."

Baron placed the palm of one hand on the bottom of her right foot and the other under her knee. He pressed the bottom of her foot, using his other hand to bend her knee. Drusilla grimaced, her leg felt stiff and bloated, her knee joint protested the sudden movement. Baron pressed his fingers gently into the sides of her knee, rubbing gently to attempt to get the blood flowing. Drusilla let out a frustrated groan as Baron pressed his thumb into the arch of her foot.

"I can't feel shit." Drusilla said.

Baron hummed and moved away to the storage closet, he came back with an odd looking contraption with wires sticking out of the end. He wrapped a side around each of her legs and plugged the device into a pack at the foot of the bed. The machine hummed and vibrated, squeezing her legs.

"I'm gonna leave this on for a while. It'll help get the blood moving," Baron said. "Sorry to keep you cooped up in here for so long."

"Well it's been five years, what's another few hours, right?" Drusilla said.

"Do you want something to eat?" Baron asked.

"Uh, yeah… yeah that sounds good," Drusilla said. "I guess I haven't really had food in a while."

"We've kept you nourished, but I'm sure having real food would be good." Baron said.

"Baron! Are you done playing around in here? We have _real_ work to do instead of you swooning over the dead girl." Tyler called as he entered the infirmary.

"I'm pretty sure I'm not dead," Drusilla said. "And I'm pretty sure you look like a My Little Pony. Who is this guy?"

Tyler stopped a few feet from Drusilla's bed, his jaw hanging open. Baron returned from the small kitchen area just the back entrance of the infirmary with a tray in his hands. Baron laughed when he caught sight of Tyler's expression, as he sat the tray on the rolling table beside Drusilla's bed.

"There's a sandwich and some fruit and chips for you," Baron said. "And this is Tyler Breeze, he's another one of our doctors."

"_He's_ a doctor? Is that lab coat regulation?" Drusilla said.

Baron snorted. "Hardly. But he's almost a genius so they let his madness go most of the time."

"How the hell is she awake?!" Tyler asked.

"Hi, my name is Drusilla, I'm a human," she said. "You can talk to me, too. I mean damn, I know Doc over there is a big boy but I'm not invisible."

Tyler gaped, slowly shutting his mouth as he moved closer to Drusilla's bed. She glared at him as she picked up her sandwich and took a bite. Tyler glanced up at the monitors keeping track of Drusilla's vitals. Everything looked normal as if she'd been awake the entire time. It didn't make a damn bit of sense; she'd been unconscious for _five years_. How the hell was she sitting up eating a damn sandwich?

"This is unbelievable. I don't understand this," Tyler murmured, grabbing Drusilla's wrist to check her pulse.

"Hey! Hands off Rainbow Dash! I don't know where you've been!" Drusilla said.

Tyler yanked his hand back, looking offended. "Rude."

"Look, you're the second person she's seen in five years, I'm pretty sure you coming in here looking like a watermelon is a little jarring." Baron said.

"I've gotta go tell Regal." Tyler said.

"Him and only him, you hear, Breeze," Baron said. "I don't want a whole fucking circus in here when she just woke up."

"Whatever Golly Green," Tyler rolled his eyes and headed for the door. "I can't fucking believe it."

Drusilla picked at the fruit in the little bowl on her tray, chewing a piece of pineapple. "What a weirdo."

"Yeah, he's a little… eccentric," Baron said. "How do your legs feel?"

"Bloated and stiff," Drusilla said. "I can sorta feel my toes again… I think."

"That's excellent," Baron said, reaching over to squeeze one of her toes. "Can you feel that?"

"A little," Drusilla said. "Definitely more than before."

Baron nodded his approval. "Good, looks like your body will snap back just fine."

"Baron… or uh… Doctor Corbin…"

He laughed. "Baron is fine."

"Right. So, Baron," Drusilla hesitated for a long moment, chewing her lip. "You're sure you haven't seen a man named Rami?"

"I haven't," Baron said, shaking his head, but his stomach clenched at the lie. "I'm telling you, sweetheart, you were inside your own head for five years. There's probably a lot of stuff banging around up there that you got lost in."

"Stop saying that," Drusilla snapped. "I know Rami is real! I remember him. I remember his face… I remember his hair… his voice… I _remember _him! I remember the last words I said to him… I love you Rami, goodbye. Why would I remember that if it wasn't real?"

"You were asleep for five years, Drusilla. It's possible you were dreaming."

"Don't fucking insult me," Drusilla said. "I wasn't dreaming! This shit happened to me. I remember the stink of the smoke. I remember it choking me. I remember…"

Drusilla paused, choking on tears. How dare Baron try and convince her that Rami wasn't real, that her memories of him weren't real. They had both died in an air duct, with Rami's body covering hers as the flames claimed them. She remembered the smoke, remembered the fire and the weight of Rami's body over hers. She remembered the smells and sounds, the mission they were on when it all ended for them both. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes and she hastily wiped them away. She wouldn't cry in front of Baron, she wouldn't grieve for Rami in front of him, not when he tried to tell her that he wasn't real.

"Can you go? I really don't want to see you right now." Drusilla whispered.

"I didn't mean to offend you." Baron said.

"I'm sure," Drusilla said. "But please just go."


	3. Chapter 2

Two weeks had passed and now that she was awake, Drusilla had grown restless. Baron had kept the machine on her legs, massaging the feeling back into her numb limbs. She'd gained feeling back in her toes and could move them freely. During moments outside of Baron's watchful stare she attempted bending her knees. Slowly but surely she started gaining motion back in her knees, ankles, and feet. Tyler had been in and out several times, and she'd finally met the tech Colin Cassidy. He was an enormous man, seven-feet tall at the smallest, and despite his size, he was the kindest soul she'd encountered so far. Whenever Baron and Tyler were both away he tried to help Drusilla as much as he possibly could.

After the first day, Drusilla made no mention of Rami again. Baron attempted to bring it up but Drusilla slammed that door shut. She wouldn't have Baron judging her or minimizing how she felt about the situation. She wouldn't have Baron tell her that she was crazy or dreaming or making it all up. She was determined to get out of that damn bed and start moving around again. She was going to find Rami and prove to Baron that he was a real person and she hadn't dreamt of his existence.

"How about trying to get out of bed today, Drusilla?" Colin asked one Thursday afternoon.

"You have no idea how much I would like that," she replied. "Now that I can feel my ass again, I'm sick of it being numb."

Colin laughed as he unhooked the machine from her legs. "Bend your knees for me doll face."

Colin gently gripped Drusilla under the knee and helped her bend it slowly. The movement was mostly of her volition, with little help from Colin's hands. He helped her move the other and made sure she could rotate her ankles. Drusilla moved her hips slightly from side to side, making sure they weren't too stiff to shift her legs back and forth. Colin wrapped an arm around her knees and helped her shift her body and drape her legs over the edge of the bed. Feeling her knees bend naturally was a relief after a few long days of being awake and with them stiff.

"Ready to stand?" Colin asked.

"Yup. Let's do this." Drusilla said.

Colin pulled her gently by her hips and Drusilla gripped his upper arms as she planted her feet on the ground. Her legs sagged under the unfamiliar weight. Colin supported her with an arm wrapped around her back as she switched her grip to his forearms.

"Okay, one foot in front of the other honey."

Drusilla nodded and, clutching Colin's arms, she bent her left knee and slowly raised her foot off the ground to shift it forward. Feeling heavy, Drusilla repeated the action with her other leg, slowly but truly walking for the first time in five years. Colin was encouraging, telling her how good she was doing as she kept moving, making slow progress a few feet away from her bed.

"Well isn't this a miracle."

"Oh… hell! Mr. Regal!" Colin gasped.

Drusilla glanced up, leaning heavily on Colin's side. In front of them was a tall man dressed in an expensive looking suit. His wispy blonde hair was combed flawlessly and he had the air of someone who was incredibly important about him.

"No need to be so surprised, Mr. Cassidy," the man said. "I assume that this is Miss Drusilla Barnett."

Drusilla nodded. "Yeah, that's me. And you are?"

The man chuckled. "My name is William Regal. I'm the supervisor of this infirmary. You have caused us much grief over the years young lady."

"Yeah well sorry about that. I was sort of asleep for the last five years," Drusilla said, rolling her eyes. "If I could have I would have moved out of your way."

Regal pursed his lips. "If it weren't for Mr. Corbin, I assure you that you wouldn't be here relearning basic motor skills."

Drusilla scowled. "Trust me, I don't know whether I'm grateful or pissed at him for that. As soon as I've got my legs back, I'm outta here."

"The world is quite different than you probably imagine to be Miss Barnett." Regal said.

"So I've heard," Drusilla said, squeezing Colin's arm as she looked up at him. "Ease up a little? I wanna try on my own."

"You sure?" he asked.

"Yes."

Regal cleared his throat and Colin's attention shot up to him. Regal looked annoyed that he didn't have their full attention but Drusilla rolled her eyes and continued on, slowly moving forward, trying to rely less on Colin's support to shuffle closer to where Regal stood. Her legs shook and she gritted her teeth and pushed on.

"Miss Barnett," Regal said, his smooth English accent grated her nerves. "Tell me. What exactly do you plan to do once you're released from this infirmary?"

"I don't think that's any of your business." Drusilla said.

"I beg to differ, pet," Regal said. "Your life was sustained through the use of my facilities. If I were you I'd watch your tone and attitude."

"Listen, I'll have any sort of attitude I damn well please," Drusilla snapped, glaring at him. "I've been asleep for five fucking years and no thanks to you from what I understand, and I'm in a place where apparently everything has changed or everyone has lost their minds or both. So I don't think you get to tell me what kind of attitude to have."

Regal scowled. "You are a foul…"

"Drusilla! You're up! You're out of bed!"

Baron came in through the back entrance of the infirmary, excitement replacing his usual stoic expression. It almost looked strange, seeing a smile on his face as he hurried toward her, seemingly unaware of Regal's presence. Baron was at her side, grinning with some kind of pride while Drusilla continued to grit her teeth as she slowly moved forward.

"Yeah, I guess you could call it that," Drusilla said. "Doesn't seem like your boss likes me very much."

Baron glanced up, the color draining from his face. "Mr. Regal."

Regal's pinched expression made him look like a teacher that was disappointed to see you in detention again. "Mr. Corbin."

Drusilla glanced between the two of them. "Why are you guys so afraid of him? What's the big deal?"

Baron cleared his throat, but Regal lifted a hand that silenced him. Drusilla frowned, straightening herself in Colin's gentle grip. Regal had rubbed her the wrong way from the moment he walked into the room. The fact that he made both Baron and Colin hold their tongues like scared children made her angry.

"Mr. Cassidy," Regal said smoothly. "I think Mr. Corbin's charge is feeling quite strong. You may release her."

"B-but Mr. Regal…" Colin stammered.

"Release her, Mr. Cassidy!" Regal snapped.

Colin glanced down at Drusilla, frowning apologetically. He slowly released his grip on her and stepped away. On her other side, Baron looked as though he was going to move to take his place, but stopped short at the look Regal gave him. Baron frowned, visibly clenching his jaw as Regal smiled mockingly at Drusilla, standing unsteadily on her weak legs.

"Go ahead, Miss Barnett. Your words seem stronger than your body. Let's see if exercising that mouth of yours has helped your body grow strong," Regal sneered. "Come. Take a step or two."

Drusilla clenched her jaw and her fists. Under her own power, she attempted a step forward. Her legs shook, weak and unaccustomed to bearing the weight of her body. Attempting to take a second unassisted step proved too much for her legs to handle and her knees buckled, sending her unceremoniously to the floor. Regal huffed a sarcastic laugh and crouched down to her, looking her in the face.

"I'll say it again young lady, the world is a very different place than you think you know," Regal said. "But there's one thing that has not changed. Only the strong survive."

Regal pushed upright gracefully, and beckoned Colin to follow him. They strode from the room as Colin cast a sympathetic look back, mouthing 'I'm sorry' to her before disappearing out of the infirmary.

Baron crouched beside her, sighing heavily. "I'm sorry about that."

"Your boss is a dick." Drusilla grumbled.

"I know," Baron mumbled. "I'm gonna pick you up, okay?"

"No," Drusilla snapped, moving to push herself up onto her knees. "Let me do it."

"Drusilla your legs won't hold you," Baron said gently. "Let me help you.'

Drusilla groaned as Baron slipped his arms underneath her and lifted her up from the floor. She wrapped an arm around his broad shoulders as he carried her back to her bed.

"Look how far you made it," Baron said. "That's incredible, Drusilla."

Baron's voice so close to her ear made her stomach flutter in a way she hadn't felt in longer than she cared to admit. The feeling made her angry, it was uncalled-for, unbidden, a feeling that she'd only felt when she was around Rami. He was the one that made her stomach flutter; he was the one that made color rise in her face and her heart pound. Just the fact that being in Baron's arms and hearing his deep voice in her ear made her feel that way was an injustice to her feelings for Rami.

"Thanks," Drusilla murmured as Baron began to hook the circulation machines back to her legs. "Baron I need to get out of here."

"I know. We're gonna do whatever we can to get you out." Baron said.

* * *

Every day for the next three days, Drusilla made it her mission to get out of bed and try to walk as far as she possibly could. On the third morning, Tyler was the only person in the infirmary. Baron had taken the overnight shift and wouldn't be there for until much later in the evening, and Colin hadn't yet arrived. Drusilla hadn't bonded with Tyler nearly as well as she had Colin, or even Baron. Tyler was judgmental and crass and still was in disbelief that she was awake after five years of being in a coma.

Tyler, in his bright neon blue lab coat, kept shooting glances at Drusilla over his shoulder, his eyebrows furrowed. Drusilla was sitting up in her bed, eating the bowl of oatmeal and fruit that Tyler had given her for breakfast. Tyler's constant peeking at her was starting to make her agitated; he hadn't said a word to her, even as he dropped her breakfast on the table beside her bed. Now he kept shooting her furtive glances and it was downright starting to piss her off.

Dropping her bowl of oatmeal with a clatter loud enough to bring Tyler's attention around, Drusilla pushed the table out of the way, "I'm getting up," she announced, throwing the blanket off of her legs.

"Whoa, whoa, hang on," Tyler shouted, scrambling to his feet. "You're a liability on your feet!"

Drusilla snorted and scooted herself around, putting her legs over the side of the bed. "Shut up. I'm perfectly fine, thanks."

The tile floor was cold under her feet as she planted them on the ground. Pushing off from the bed, Drusilla's legs wobbled slightly under her body weight. Taking a deep breath, she took a few cautious steps forward while Tyler watched on edgily, poised as if he might move to help. Getting back on her feet after five years of lying down wasn't the easiest thing Drusilla had ever done, but somehow her body seemed to _want_ to snap back to normal. Slow going as it might be, she'd made more progress than she anticipated in a short amount of time. The first ten steps away from her bed were strong and pride welled up in her like a mother witnessing her child's first steps at the success.

Pausing to assess the strength of her legs, Drusilla slowly crouched to see how steady her legs were. Wobbling, she swore as her balance wavered and she hit the floor. Tyler cringed, taking a few steps forward, his hands outstretched.

"I told you you're a liability," he grumbled.

"Don't touch me Rainbow Brite," Drusilla said, scooting herself out of his reach. "I can manage."

Tyler scoffed, stomping back to his desk, muttering under his breath. Drusilla made a face at him while his back was turned and scooted herself back toward the table beside her bed. Taking a grip on the tabletop and one of the support beams of the bed, she slowly pulled herself up from the floor.

"What are you doing, girl?"

Colin's good-natured tone brought a smile to Drusilla's face. He hurried over to her, gripping her under her arms and pulling her to her feet. Drusilla smiled gratefully at him and, with his help, shuffled back to her bed.

"Ya know, just trying to get motion back in my life," she said, sighing as she sat down. "I'm not moving fast enough. I'm impatient and I need to get out of this damn infirmary. No offense."

"None taken," Colin smiled. "Ya eat this morning doll face?"

"Yeah," Drusilla nodded toward the empty bowl on her table.

"Tyler treatin' you right?" Colin asked.

"We don't exactly talk," Drusilla rolled her eyes. "He says I'm a liability on my feet."

Tyler huffed from his desk. "Well she _is_! Look at how you found her."

"She's trying to get her legs back, can you blame her for trying," Colin said. "Wanna keep going?"

"No, I think I'm good for a while," Drusilla sighed. "I'll probably wait for Baron to get here tonight."

"Fair enough," Colin smiled again helping Drusilla back into her bed, he perched on the edge, a chuckle bubbling out of him as he leaned close to her. "I think Baron's a little sweet on you, to be honest."

Drusilla laughed out loud. "You're joking, right?"

"Not at all sweetheart," Colin whispered. "We're buddies, we talk. I'm just reading between the lines. I think he has a little crush on you."

"You're ridiculous," Drusilla said. "Absolutely ridiculous."

"Whatever you say," Colin said as he pushed up to his feet. "But just remember. The man pretty much single-handedly cared for you for five years. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he caught feelings for you."

Drusilla settled herself back into bed, her brow furrowed as she frowned at Colin. He patted her shoulder and walked across the room, jokingly shoving Tyler's chair as he passed and went to sit at his little desk. Drusilla sucked on her bottom lip, confusing spinning through her. Colin was right, and Baron _had_ been the sole person caring for her for five long years. His success as a doctor hinged on his hope that she would wake up one day. But to have any sort of feelings for her based on _that_. That was ridiculous.

Wasn't it?


	4. Chapter 3

Baron had left the infirmary thirty minutes ago, thinking he was leaving Drusilla to a restful sleep. He was taking the overnight shift again but had an hour-long break in which their night nurse, Enzo kept watch over the patients on Baron's section of the floor. Generally, Drusilla was sleeping when Enzo came through, but tonight she was wide-awake when he popped into her room that evening. If Tyler's outrageously colored lab coats were a shock, Enzo's leopard print scrubs were an entirely new experience. Drusilla was on her feet, walking the floor from the bathroom back to her bed when Enzo knocked on the door and slowly pushed it open.

"Whoa! Look who's up and about," Enzo bellowed. "On a late night walk?"

"What is it with you guys and your crazy outfits? Those can't be regulation." Drusilla said.

Enzo laughed. "We're a lively bunch around here."

"So I can tell," Drusilla said as she perched on the edge of her bed. "You're Enzo, right?"

"Enzo Amore," he grinned. "And you're the living dead girl, how ya doin'."

"It's Drusilla. Wow, is that what's going around about me?" she frowned.

"Kinda," Enzo shrugged. "Look, you were down for five years from what I hear. That's probably a record somewhere."

Drusilla rolled her eyes. "I guess. But in any case, I'll be fine once I get the hell outta here."

"Tired of it already? How long have you been awake?" Enzo asked.

"Two weeks, four days," Drusilla said. "I think I've had quite enough. Once I met _Mr. Regal_, I knew I'd far overstayed my welcome."

Enzo laughed nervously. "Yeah, Mr. R is a bit of a hardass."

"A bit? He makes Baron act like a twelve year old who just had his first wet dream," Drusilla said, rolling her eyes. "That man is almost seven foot tall and has muscles bigger than my head. That's unnatural."

Enzo nodded, but said nothing. He turned away and went about straightening things around the room. Raising an eyebrow, Drusilla perched on the edge of her bed and slowly moved herself back onto the mattress. Something about William Regal was fishy, and she made a mental note to try and find out exactly why everyone in the infirmary was so afraid of him. Enzo didn't say another word except for goodbye when he left the room. Drusilla glanced at the clock across the room; Baron would be back in the next few minutes. Perhaps she could get something out of him about Regal, but the idea was a little doubtful. Baron clammed up like a kid who got caught doing something naughty whenever Regal was brought up.

Drusilla settled back into her bed, glad that she could pull her legs up to her chest again. Getting her legs back had been a slow process, but next to running around the halls, this was the best she could ask for in such a short time. Maybe Baron had been right and she was meant to wake up in this world. Maybe something in he truly had been earmarked for survival. If she was going to keep thriving though, she needed to get out of this room and really on her own feet, more than just literally.

Lost in thought, she was picking invisible lint of the blanket when Baron came back into the room. He had a large white Styrofoam cup in each hand and eased the door shut with his hip, "I know you pretend to sleep, Drusilla," he said, his tone amused, "I brought you some hot chocolate."

Drusilla chuckled, "Thanks."

"Are you alright?" Baron asked.

"Fine," Drusilla said, "Enzo was just in here. He's interesting."

Baron laughed, sitting on the edge of her bed, "He's a character alright. But what else is bothering you?"

Drusilla eyed him uneasily, no one but Rami was able to read her that easily, "I wouldn't say anything was wrong. I'm just… curious about something."

"Like what?"

Drusilla frowned, sipping her hot chocolate, "You're not going to like it."

Frowning, Baron shifted slightly to look her in the face, "What?"

"I really want to know about Regal, no bullshit," Drusilla said.

Baron sighed, "You know I can't talk about that."

"No, Baron, I know you can and you won't," Drusilla said, "There's a difference. I want to know why he scares all of you so badly. Even Enzo seemed unsettled when I mentioned him earlier. It's not right that two enormous men like you and Colin are afraid of this wispy old man."

Baron cleared his throat, "There's more to it than you think."

"Then tell me! Baron, I'm trying to figure out my life here and for some reason, I have a feeling that he's part of the reason I'm here to begin with," Drusilla said. "You can't leave me in the dark like this."

"Drusilla, you don't understand. I _literally_ can't say anything," he gestured toward the door with his eyes, and whispered: "Look up."

Following Baron's stare, Drusilla glanced up from the door that leads into the infirmary. Directly in the middle was a black half-circle about the size of a softball. Squinting, she saw a faint green light to the left side, blinking slowly.

"Is that a camera?" Drusilla asked.

Baron nodded, drinking from his cup, he kept it to his mouth to mask lips and muffle his speech, "They put that in the day after you woke up, funnily enough, while you were sleeping one afternoon."

"Are you serious?" Drusilla asked, mirroring Baron's hiding technique. "That's really shady. Like what if I was fucking naked in here or something."

Baron choked into his cup, "Is there a reason you'd be naked in here?"

"I can shower now that I'm on my feet you know," Drusilla murmured. "I don't like that at all."

"I know, neither do I," Baron said. "But they put it up probably because Regal got nervous, thought we had to watch you closer. They're seeing and hearing everything that happens in here."

Drusilla sipped her drink for real before lowering her cup, "Baron I need to get out of here. They're watching me now? I can't stay here. It's beyond uncomfortable now. Get me out of here."

"Do you think your legs are strong enough?" Baron asked, chewing the bottom rim of his cup.

"I don't care if they're strong enough or not," Drusilla said. "_Get me out of here_."

Baron was quiet for a moment, chewing his cup, "Give me a day. I'll have you out, I promise."

"Okay," Drusilla nodded, sitting her cup on the table beside her bed, "One day."

* * *

Overly wary of the camera since Baron pointed it out to her, Drusilla was more careful than ever in the infirmary. Twenty-four hours couldn't be passing slower for her. All the wanted to do was get up and walk out that door. She wondered if she had belongings that they'd found with her that she could take as she finally left the infirmary. Where would she stay? How would she feed herself, clothe herself? Where would she be without Baron's care? It made her nervous to think that she'd be going out in this place she had no idea about on her own. Part of her could remember being able to adapt to anything, part of her couldn't remember why that was. There was so much about her past that she couldn't reach in her memories and she was desperate to find out why.

Colin had been in a few times, and even he commented on how extra antsy Drusilla was being. Somehow, Baron had the day off, and Drusilla assumed that Tyler would be the only doctor running the whole show for the day, considering he was the only other one she'd met thus far. And Tyler was _grumpy_ today, well grumpier than usual. In his bright yellow and blue lab coat, he was jaw-clenched and silent, typing aggressively on Baron's computer in the corner of the room. Tyler's fidgety agitated, demeanor was making her even more nervous. Did he know something she didn't? It wasn't as if they actually got along to begin with, but Tyler was usually somewhat civil towards her; today was completely different.

Just after lunch, Baron walked into the infirmary. His hair covered in a black beanie, wearing a black leather vest with a huge wolf patch on the back and a sleeveless black t-shirt underneath, faded blue skinny jeans and heavy black boots. Drusilla's stomach did a curious little flip, seeing Baron's bare arms covered in tattoos and him generally looking very casual. She scrubbed a hand over her face, shaking herself. Seeing Baron today only meant that she was on her way out.

Baron turned to her, a small stack of papers in his left hand, and a bag in his other hand, "Ready to get outta here?"

"Like you wouldn't believe," Drusilla said, "Let's freaking go."

"One thing before you're free," Baron said, laying the papers on the table in front of her, "Release forms. I just need you to sign."

Taking the pen he offered, and flipped to the appropriate page, scrawling her signature on the line. Grinning, Baron took the papers and handed Drusilla the bag he held. Inside was a pair of dark gray leggings, a plain black t-shirt and a pair of slip on shoes. Drusilla slid from the bed and hurried to the bathroom to change, eager to leave behind that awful hospital robe. Leaving the robe on the bathroom floor, Drusilla met Baron back in the main room as she tried to comb her fingers through her tangled hair.

"Let's go," Drusilla said, "No offense, but I'm fucking sick of this place."

Baron chuckled, "I understand. Come on, let's roll."

Really smiling for the first time, Drusilla gave Tyler a sarcastic wave, "Smell ya later, Rainbow Dash."

Tyler scowled as Baron laughed and Drusilla followed him towards the exit. This was a whole new world for Drusilla, she hadn't been outside of that one room in the infirmary and stepping outside those doors for the first time ever was liberating. Baron stopped at a station just beyond the door and handed the papers that Drusilla signed to a girl in baby pink scrubs with her hair in a high side-ponytail whose ID badge read 'Bayley'. The girl was pleasant and bubbly and accepted the papers Baron handed her with a smile and a cheerful 'have an awesome day' as they walked away.

Outside the building, it was bright and sunny and warm. The light breeze blew Drusilla's hair gently as she followed Baron across the parking lot. In one of the employee reserved spots was a powerful looking motorcycle with two helmets on the seat.

"You want me to ride this?" Drusilla asked, glancing up at Baron.

"It's the ride I brought," Baron shrugged and handed her one of the helmets. "I figured you'd want a little excitement after being cooped up for five years. Helmet on and hold on tight."

Drusilla sighed but slipped the helmet on her head and snapped the clasp to hold it on. Baron was sitting on the bike already, waiting for her. She hesitated for a moment before shoving her fear aside and straddling the seat behind Baron. As he cranked the engine to life, Drusilla wrapped her arms around his waist and shifted her feet to the proper resting spot. The yelp she let out as they took off was drowned out by the sound of the engine, but she could feel Baron laughing as she pressed herself closer against him.

The scenery zoomed by captivated Drusilla. She hadn't seen the world from much outside of the small window in the infirmary for five years and this place was truly beautiful. She took in as much as she could behind the protective visor as they sped down the roads. The journey seemed longer than she imagined, but she thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Being out in the fresh air was a relief in itself, no matter how short the trip was.

Baron zoomed into a parking spot outside of an apartment complex and killed the engine. Drusilla pulled off her helmet and lifted herself from the seat. Her legs still vibrated from the power of the bike, and she had to grip Baron's arm to steady herself after the first step. He easily wrapped an arm around her waist, holding on lightly as they moved and she gained her legs yet again. Baron led her to the building and up the stairs. He unlocked the door labeled 4C and held the door open for her.

"Home sweet home," Baron said.

Drusilla paused just inside he door, glancing around. It was a small apartment that was decently furnished. In a deep, sunken square pit in front of the kitchen was a queen-sized bed that was slightly disheveled with black and deep red sheets and a comforter. There was a small entertainment set up in what she deemed to be the living room (which probably doubled as the dining room) and a big comfortable looking red couch.

"Is this your place Baron?" Drusilla asked.

"Yeah," he murmured. "I know you wanted to get out of that place… and this is the only place I think you'd be relatively safe. It's not much and I don't have a lot of room, but… you're welcome here no matter what."

Drusilla turned to Baron, smiling at him, "Thank you. You've already done so much for me and now you're opening your home to me. I can't tell you how much I appreciate you, Baron."


	5. Chapter 4

Drusilla woke up the following morning much warmer and more comfortable than she had when she'd fallen asleep. Shifting, she found her head on a soft pillow and her body wrapped in Baron's big burgundy comforter. She pushed herself upright, yawning and pushing her hair out of her face. Somehow, she'd ended up in Baron's bed, completely cocooned in his comforter. She couldn't see Baron, but she could smell his body wash from the bathroom, where the door was open a crack. Throwing the comforter off, she pushed herself up and tiptoed into the kitchen. The clock on the microwave said 7:45, and there was already a half-empty pot of coffee on the counter.

How long had Baron been awake? How long had she been _in his bed_? Sighing, she moved back to the couch where she'd originally fallen asleep. She heard the water shut off, and pulled her knees up to her chest. Something about being in his apartment and using his things made her uncomfortable. No matter how much he insisted that it was fine. She was equally uncomfortable with the fact that his apartment didn't truly allow for much privacy. The studio apartment had no defined rooms, and nowhere to hide except the bathroom.

"You're up."

Drusilla turned, looking over the couch to where Baron stood in the doorway of the bathroom, wearing nothing but his scrub pants, her stomach doing a little churning flip, "Uh yeah. Did you put me in your bed?"

Baron laughed, "Actually no. You were totally out on the couch and I got up to make coffee and the next thing I know you're completely wrapped up in my blanket in the middle of my bed. Have you always been a sleepwalker?"

"No… I mean I don't think so. I've never done that before… that I know of," Drusilla said.

"It's fine, really," Baron shrugged. "You could have taken the bed to begin with."

"Shut up, no. It's your place, it's your bed, and I'm already invading your private life. I'm not going to steal your bed from you."

Baron fixed her with a jokingly stern look as he eased down beside her on the couch, "Sleep wherever you want, Drusilla. It's fine, really."

Drusilla reached forward, laying her hand on his forearm, "You're sweet. I don't know how I'll ever repay you for everything you've done for me."

"Don't even worry about it," Baron waved his free hand, "I did everything because I wanted to. I just had a feeling that you were something special. I mean you were a medical fucking marvel; I'm still baffled at how you hung on. At the same time, I'm kinda proud, ya know?"

"Like a proud dad watching his kid walk for the first time?" Drusilla said.

Baron deflated into laughter, "You know how to take a situation and make it really awkward."

"Well I'm gonna make it even more awkward," Drusilla said, biting the corner of her lip. "When I was still in the hospital, Colin might have let something slip to me…"

"Oh god," Baron groaned, his face going pale.

"He may have told me that it's his professional opinion that he believes you might have some feelings for me."

Baron covered his face with one hand, but Drusilla could see the bright red blush creeping up in his ears, "Fuck I can't believe he told you that."

"I just thought that maybe we could get those kind of things out in the open since I'm pretty much living here until I can get my life together," Drusilla said, "I'm also really brash apparently and don't have much of a filter."

Lifting his head, Baron chuckled, "It's fine, really. I'm glad that you're as up front as you are."

"Right, so am I going to be expecting any awkward boners?" Drusilla laughed.

Red faced, Baron burst into laughter, "You're unbelievable. And no, you don't have to worry about that. I think you're lovely Drusilla, but sometimes, I think I liked you better when you were quiet."

Drusilla laughed, squeezing Baron's forearm again, "That's a nice way to avoid the original observation."

Baron rubbed his hand over his face, "I-I think that maybe that's a factor. It's very strange to feel something for someone who you couldn't speak to for five years. But I think I have a sense of responsibility and protectiveness about you. Again, I think you're lovely, but… it's definitely… something."

"I don't want to make you feel awkward in your own home," Drusilla said. "From what I can remember, I'm pretty sure I'm easy enough to deal with. I don't want this to become some really cliché and awkward unrequited kind of situation. I just need you to understand that… I can't tell you that anything is going to happen. I respect you and how you feel and I need you to know that… I'm in a place where I need to sort my life out and figure out why I'm here. Not only that, but… I lost that one person I loved the most in this world. I don't know where he is or if he's even still alive…"

"Drusilla, it's alright," Baron said, taking one of her hands between both of his, "I don't expect anything from you. I truly don't. You are welcome here as long as you want and I don't ask anything from you. I don't expect you to repay me in any way. I'm not asking you to sleep with me or be my girlfriend or anything like that. I just want you to be you."

Drusilla wiped her eye with her free hand, smiling softly, "Thank you. I really can't tell you how much I appreciate you."

Baron squeezed her hand again before letting it drop, "No worries. I'm gonna do whatever I can for you to help you."

"Stop being so amazing, alright," Drusilla said, pushing up from the couch. She turned away, hiding the blush in her cheeks as she moved toward the kitchen, "What time do you need to be at work?"

"Nine-thirty," Baron replied.

"Well you have an hour," Drusilla said, biting her lip as she searched for words, "Did you eat?"

"Who's taking care of who now?" Baron asked from the couch.

"You spent five years taking care of me. I know you're not asking for anything but the least I can do is make you breakfast once in a while," Drusilla said.

"Can you cook?" Baron asked.

"I have no fucking clue," Drusilla laughed.

"You've got a lot of holes in your memories then, huh?"

Drusilla nodded, "Yeah. There's a _lot_ I don't remember."

"When you woke up… do you remember the first question you asked me?" Baron asked.

"Of course. I asked you were Rami was… and you told me I was crazy and dreaming," Drusilla said, turning to face him with a frown, "That kinda pissed me off.'

Baron turned around and leaned against the back of the couch, "I know, and I'm sorry. I don't honestly think you're crazy."

"Do you know where he is?" Drusilla asked.

"No, I really don't," Baron said, "But I do know that you two were found together. However, when you were brought to the infirmary, you were alone. I don't know where they took him, but I have a feeling it was to another part of the hospital."

"Is he still alive?" Drusilla asked, wrapping her arms around herself.

"I honestly don't know," Baron frowned, as he got up and walked to her, "I never saw him, I just know that you were found together and you were alone when I saw you for the first time."

Drusilla rubbed her palms over her face, brushing away tears in the process, "What if he doesn't remember me? What if I never find him? What if he's _dead_?"

Baron touched her shoulders gently, "I wish I could answer these questions for you, Drusilla. We'll just have to go looking. I told you I'd help you and I mean it."

* * *

Sitting in Baron's apartment on her own was like having cabin fever. Between sitting on the couch, laying across the end of Baron's bed, and alphabetizing the spices in the cabinet in the kitchen, Drusilla was beyond bored. She had no way to contact him—he didn't have a landline phone—and something he'd said to her when they left he infirmary stuck with her. _This is the only place I think you'd be relatively safe_. If he was worried about her safety, something was seriously up outside his front door.

Danger or no danger, Drusilla wasn't about to sit on her own in Baron's apartment for the entirety of his fourteen-hour shift. So she found a scrap piece of paper and scrawled down a note for him, just in case he decided to come home at random. After doing a little snooping, she discovered a set of spare keys, one that unlocked the door to the apartment, and one that she hoped would unlock the main door to the building. After a bit of a hesitation, she grabbed one of Baron's hoodies from the closet next to the door, slung it on and walked out the door.

Despite the breeze, it was a warm afternoon. The complex that Baron lived in was small, but situated in the middle of the city. Just up the street was a shopping center and behind the building was a playground and a pool area for tenants. Drusilla took the street up to the right, walking along the uneven sidewalk, squinting in the bright sunlight. The shopping center was relatively full for a Tuesday afternoon, people milling around with full grocery bags, children clinging to their parents, and stressed out workers on their smoke breaks. Drusilla glanced into store windows as she passed, feeling strange to be walking around in a normal place again after so long.

Everyone told her the world was such a different place but, nothing really seemed to have changed in the course of five years… not that she could fully remember that is. The part of the world she came from before arriving in this place was far away in her memories, trapped behind thick walls and swirling fog, unreachable. Part of her was desperate to find out exactly what she was missing, but a smaller, discouraged part of her wondered if she should just leave it be and move on with a new life.

Drusilla found herself stopped in front of a small boutique, glancing in the window at a mannequin dressed in a pair of denim shorts and a floral crop-top. Was that the _style_ now? That hardly seemed functional. Frowning, Drusilla moved away from the window, passing widely around the door of the shop as someone exited.

"Hey! You're that girl from the infirmary!"

Jerking to a stop, Drusilla spun around, defensive and a little frightened, "Who are you?"

"I'm Bayley! I checked you out yesterday," she said, her high ponytail bobbing, "How are you doing?"

"I-I'm good, thanks," Drusilla murmured, "Just getting used to new scenery."

Bayley grinned, "Of course! But it's kinda exciting, right?"

"Bayley! Come on, we're going to be late for our lunch reservation!"

From out of the shop walked another girl. She was pixie petite with blonde hair that sported blue tips. Her sharp facial features and bright eyes made her genuinely look like a fairy come to life. She paused, tilting her head to the side as she eyed Drusilla, "Do you know this girl?"

"Um… well I remember her from the infirmary, that's all," Bayley said, "I do a lot of paperwork during the day so I'm afraid I don't remember your name…"

"Drusilla," she said.

"Huh, Drusilla Barnett? You're the medical mystery girl, right?" the blonde girl asked.

"Alexa! Don't be so rude," Bayley hissed.

"Yeah. Yeah, that's me. In a coma for five years, magically revived, all that jazz," Drusilla snapped, "It's been nice talking to you ladies but I really need to go."

"Wait," Bayley groaned, "Don't let Alexa's attitude push you away. You probably don't know anyone here, right? Why don't you come have lunch with us?"

"Bayley that's a bad idea," Alexa said, shaking her head, "No offense, but…"

"None taken," Drusilla said stiffly, "It's fine. I need to get back home anyway."

"Home? Where are you staying? You can't possibly be established three weeks after waking up," Alexa said.

"With a friend," Drusilla said, "Now, excuse me."

Drusilla skirted past the girls, walking a little faster than was natural for her. She heard Bayley complaining at Alexa but tuned out most of her words. Something felt off about Alexa, and she intended to talk to Baron about her. Drusilla continued up the sidewalk, lost in her thoughts and moving faster than she really needed to. Her momentum came to a sudden halt when she collided with another solid body. Arms wheeling, she tired to catch herself but stumbled over her own feet and landed flat on her rear end on the ground.

"Holy crap! I'm so sorry I wasn't even paying attention. Here, let me help you up."

A distinctly male hand was offered to her, attached to an arm covered in light red hair. Drusilla took the hand and the man pulled her to her feet. Fully intending to apologize for her clumsiness, Drusilla glanced up; meeting the eyes of the man who'd helped her when all the air rushed out of her lungs. Standing in front of her, with his red hair and brown eyes and awkwardly sweet smile was Rami.

"Are you alright? I didn't mean to run you over like that," he said.

"I-I'm okay," Drusilla murmured.

"Good, good. Sorry again!" Rami said.

"It's fine," Drusilla said, swallowing hard. "I-I should have been watching where I was going."

"No worries. But… are you sure you're alright?"

"Yeah… you… you just look really familiar, that's all," Drusilla said.

"Oh? Well, I'm Sami… maybe we've met before," he said.

"Sami? N-no… I don't think we have. You just resemble someone I used to know."

"Wow, weird. I can't imagine someone walking around with this face," _Sami_ laughed, and patted Drusilla on the shoulder. "Well, sorry again for bulldozing you. I'm glad you're all right. I've gotta get going now, but maybe I'll see you around?"

"Sure, yeah," Drusilla said. "Nice meeting you."

Sami grinned and slid past her, walking on towards the shopping center. Her arms wrapped around herself, Drusilla moved as fast as she could up the street and back towards Baron's apartment complex. He didn't remember her. He looked right at her and smiled like she was a stranger and it didn't matter. Did she look different than he remembered? Had she changed that much in five years that he just didn't recognize her? Or did he truly forget about her? Heart aching, she slowly climbed the stairs to the main building, fumbling in her pocket for the keys.

"You're outside?"

Drusilla turned to the sound of Baron's voice, trying to rearrange her face into an expression more neutral, "You're home early."

"Heh, long story," Baron said, "Are you alright?"

Drusilla shook her head, holding out the keys she'd found to him with shaking hands, "Does one of these open this door?"

"I've been looking for this for months, where the hell did you find them," Baron laughed, "But yeah, one of them does. You should keep them."

"No… I think I'm just going to stay inside for a while," Drusilla swallowed hard, "I-I…"

"What happened, Drusilla? You're not acting like yourself," Baron said.

"Can we just go inside before I really make an ass out of myself?"

Baron sighed but nodded and unlocked the door with his own keys. With a gentle hand on her back, he nudged Drusilla through the door and up the stairs to his fourth floor apartment. Drusilla dropped down on to the couch as soon as they were inside, putting her head in her hands.

"What happened?" Baron asked, sitting down beside her.

"_I saw him_," Drusilla sniffled, pausing for a deep breath, "I was walking around the shopping center and I ran right into him."

"Rami?" Baron asked.

"He says his name is Sami. He didn't even recognize me. Baron, he didn't know me at all!" Drusilla cried.

Baron frowned, and reached out an unsure hand to rest on her shoulder, "I'm sorry, Drusilla."

"I just don't understand how he could have forgotten me," Drusilla said miserably. "Why does it even fucking matter anyway?"

"Don't… don't beat yourself down because of this," Baron said, "I can't imagine how much it hurts to finally see him and have him not recognize you. But it was one meeting, and a little awkward from what I understand. Maybe if you see him again it'll be different."

Drusilla looked up at Baron, her eyes red and a frown on her lips, "I'm sorry you have to deal with me like this."

"Don't apologize," Baron said firmly, "You're human, Drusilla. You're allowed to be sad about things. But you gotta keep your head up and know that you're gonna be alright."

"I just can't believe I'm sitting her practically sobbing over a man," Drusilla muttered.

"You loved him. You probably still love him. It's normal to be sad over things and people you love," Baron said.

Drusilla ran a thumb under her eye, and shifted her body closer to Baron's laying her head on his shoulder. Awkwardly, Baron wrapped his arm around her as she tucked herself into his chest, sighing heavily, "Thank you for listening to me bitch, Baron."

He chuckled, "Not to worry, sweetheart. I'm here for you."

Pulling away from him slowly, Drusilla swiped a hand across her face again, "So why are you home so early?"

"Right, about that," Baron brushed a stray hair off his cheek, his arm still loosely wrapped around her shoulder, "I've been 'indefinitely suspended' from the job."

"What the fuck? Are you serious?" Drusilla yelled.

"Yup. I was told maybe two or three hours after I came on shift that Regal passed down the word that I was suspended," Baron shrugged, "Apparently he's not keen on me helping you blow the joint. I'm going to assume that Regal wanted you under surveillance and without you there all the time, he doesn't have eyes on you. I think that's bullshit; you're a woman, not some sideshow attraction. I guess they didn't believe it when I put Tyler's name on the releasing physician line."

Drusilla laughed, "You did?"

"Yeah, I figured it was safer and smarter than using mine."

"I guess that's why he was salty the day I left," Drusilla said, "Looks like they cracked down on him about it."

"Probably. I don't really understand what they think my relationship with you has to do with my ability and standing as a doctor, but I'll take the time off," Baron said.

"But what about your money? I'm assuming you're not getting paid," Drusilla said.

Baron shrugged, "I'm not worried about it. I live a pretty minimalist life. I've got everything I need and plenty saved up. I could probably live on savings for a good three or four years before I started getting worried."

"Jesus, Baron! That's incredible."

"Trust me, I'm not much on splurging. I can certainly support both of us for a long while," Baron said.

Drusilla frowned, "I'm sorry I can't help you…"

"Don't apologize," Baron waved his hand, "I don't ever want you to apologize, okay? I like helping people, it's kinda the reason I became a doctor."

"Either that or you're like an angel or something," Drusilla smiled and leaned her head back against the sofa, the joint of Baron's elbow cradling her neck, "By the way, I ran into… Bayley while I was out."

"Oh yeah? Bayley's a cool girl," Baron said, "A little excitable, but she's cool."

"Yeah, well she's got shitty friends."

"How do you mean?" Baron asked.

"She was with this girl named Alexa. Little, blonde fairy girl? Sound familiar?" Drusilla said.

Baron made a noise that sounded somewhere between a snort and a cough, "Alexa Bliss?"

"I assume. Blue in her hair, kind of a nasty attitude?" Drusilla said.

"Yeah, that's her."

"Do you know her?" Drusilla asked.

"You could say that," Baron grumbled, "Alexa isn't a good person, and you need to be really careful around her."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I have a feeling that she's working on the dark side, for lack of a better term," Baron said, frowning. "She and I… we dated for a little while, but she flipped her switches quickly and frequently. It gave me fucking whiplash, so I broke it off. She works in the cafeteria of the infirmary, which is why I bring food to work every day so I don't have to deal with her craziness."

"Nothing worse than working with a crazy ex," Drusilla said, turning her head to look at him, "So you're saying to keep my distance from her?"

"Yes. I know, it's crazy, but I don't underestimate Alexa," Baron said, "She's definitely not a friend."

"Well someone should tell Bayley that," Drusilla said.

Baron sighed, "Yeah, I know. But I just want you to be careful. I don't really know what's going on or who's on what side, but… things have the potential to get crazy and I just want you to look out for yourself."

"How crazy do you mean?" Drusilla asked.

"I can't say that I know for sure… but I just have a feeling that nothing is really what it seems around here. Especially with Regal getting so antsy now that you're out. It's a gut feeling, Drusilla. Things are gonna get bad, I don't know when or how, but I feel it deep down that it's gonna happen."


End file.
